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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

I'm proud of a woman who agreed to speak up about a military romance scam where she was nearly a victim. She was only duped for a short time, but she wanted to warn others after a "Sgt. Major in Afghanistan" fell in love with her and needed her to send him an iPhone.

Not all people who are victims of a scam are willing to go on TV and warn the rest of us. Here's how we uncovered proof of the bad guy's scam.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

I blog from time to time about my interactions with
public relations and marketing people. Usually it’s “what not to do.” Hopefully
my posts are helpful to my friends on the other side of the business.

I’m having an experience right now with a group who will
likely appear in an upcoming story.

Weeks ago, I sent an email giving a short overview of my
investigation. It asked to talk on the phone and I wrote that I would like to
bounce some ideas around. My offer was a branch showing I am open to other
ideas. I also noted that I was using a specific case in my news story.

Now I’ve received a statement that addresses the specific
case, but not the broader issue in my story. No one from the organization has
called to take me up on the offer to talk openly.

My advice: when a reporter is willing to be open on a
story that may not be favorable to you, take him up on it. Some journalists really
do want to be open, upfront and honest from the start. It leaves a bad taste in
my mouth when people act scared or afraid of a simple conversation.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Sometimes I wonder what you will think of an investigation if I am exposing a few thousand dollars in taxpayer waste and not millions -- reaction to last night's investigation proves you care no matter the amount.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

I don't enjoy going to someone's house to get answers... But when members of a governmental agency change their story multiple times... And then refuse to be accountable on camera for spending taxpayer money... I have no choice. Just had to take this important journalistic step. I'll tell you more about the story in a few days.Hopefully no one thinks we take approaching a public worker at his or home lightly. I don't like doing it, but viewers deserve answers.

We didn’t want to draw attention to our car or the fact
there were several people inside, so we turned off the air conditioning.

After minutes in the hot, sunny weather we were covered in
sweat. I think it’s dripping off my nose in this picture as I was making a
phone call.

Yea, it was gross. We don’t think anyone saw us though…
unlike what happened when we later went inside a piñata store on East Colfax. I put the moment we were “found” in my story. It airs Tuesday night at 9 and 10
p.m. on 9NEWS.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Thank you. I can't wait to 'pay it forward.' Three great experiences today:

1) I was nearly yelling into the phone about flood coverage as I sat in the Safeway parking lot. The lady in the car facing mine obviously saw me and smiled through our windshields. After I returned from the store... she stuck her head out of her window and, in the kindest voice, told me how much she appreciates all 9NEWS is doing.

2) As set my stuff at a table outside Starbucks to feed a story back via WiFi, a man who had trouble walking came up from across the parking lot to say 'thank you' for our coverage.

3) About 20 minutes later, a Starbucks﻿ manager came outside and asked if I had eaten enough today. If not, she said, she wanted to offer me a bite to eat.

With so much devastation, it's inspiring to see communities be kind & giving. I like the people of Loveland, Colo.

(The pictures to the left are from God's Country Cowboy Church. "Where there isn't water, there is mud.")

Saturday, July 20, 2013

I'm finding it hard to express my thoughts as I remember what happened in Aurora a year ago. Like so many people, I recall the phone call telling me what happened, I remember the looks on first responders faces and I remember the increased sadness as we started getting pictures of victims' faces.

I remember trying to keep my emotions collected as we reported on this tragedy for hours.

I've covered and lived through many, many anniversaries. This one feels different.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

UPDATE: 6:16 p.m., June 11: I ended up getting in touch with the Sheriff and posted the following story on 9NEWS.com: http://www.9news.com/news/article/340562/339/Sheriff-wants-marijuana-citation-dismissed
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So here I sit at 10:39 a.m., waiting to hear back from the
Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

The man says he was walking home from work about 1 a.m. this
week when Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies drove up and told him he looked suspicious.
When they asked if he had any drugs or weapons, he told them he had a box
cutter from work and a small amount of marijuana, he says.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

I think it’s important to post a story after Douglas County
Sheriff’s records show the office instructed deputies to treat a report of domestic
violence at the undersheriff’s house like any other call.

Law enforcement and other viewers have sent us tips
questioning whether deputies took longer than usual to respond to the call. The
sheriff’s office has sent out two news releases about the incident. (Read the 2nd news release here.)

The latest was to report that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s
Office reviewed the whole matter and found nothing improper occurred either
between Undersheriff Tony Spurlock and his wife or in how deputies handled the
call.

Some might say the story is a non-story, and I can see that
argument.

But the fact that allegations of wrongdoing have been flying
and the evidence I have today indicates the call was handled properly means
people deserve to have their names cleared. The issue has also become a hot one,
which is why the sheriff’s office has sent two news releases.

Had the documents shown the call wasn’t handled properly,
you can bet I’d be doing a story. Seems fair to do critical stories and ones
that show the system working properly.

I found it interesting that the two suspects were called "persons of interest" at the beginning of the news conference held Thursday... but the FBI also used the word "suspect."

I wonder if the average person knows or cares about the difference. To me the difference is that a "suspect" is someone thought to have had a high probability of committing a crime. A "person of interest" could be someone who law enforcement thinks (but isn't to the level of high probability) was involved in a crime.

Monday, February 4, 2013

You've won. We'll be at your house soon to deliver a big check. ...Not so fast.

Here's an email from a viewer who was smart enough not to get taken.

Just wanted to give people a heads up to a group called mega million who called me yesterday to say I had won 650,000 dollars and would be at my home today to provide the check, congrats letter and an attorny's validity.